Helicopter toy device



Aug. 23, 1932. KRAsTlN 1,873,896

HELICOPTER TOY DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1931 Patented Aug, 23, 1932 AUGUST KRASTIN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR EEOWALTER -MIIJEST.ONE, .QF

CLEVELAND, OHIO HELICOPTER moY DEVICE Application filed September 26, 1931. Serial No. 565,319. I

The primary object of'this invention is to provide an improved launching device for an aerial toy. Aspecific object isto-provide an improved device of this character; 'part'ic 5 ularly an improvement inserviceability and economy of manufacture. For convenience, the present embodiment of the invention will be referred to as a pistol,-which it resembles.

Other objects and features of the in'ven tion will become apparent from :the following description relating to .the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown .myypreferred form. The essential characteristics '15 aresumm arized in the claims.

Referring :tothe drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the pistol; Fig. 2 is ;a central longitudinal sectional view thereof; Fig. :3

is a sectional view through a ra'tchetmechanism, as indicated by the line 33 on Fig. 1;;Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the handle, and Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view showing a modified means .ofmounting-one of the parts in a generalcasing.

Referring again to the drawing, 1 is :a main casing, substantially cylindrical, as shown, :and in which, extending therethrough, is a fixed spindle 2,-the spindle having a suitable rigid vmounting at 3 in one-end 30 01": the casing. The novel construction ofthe casing and spindle mounting will behereinafter described. 'The casing 1 rotatablysupports a revolving barrel 4 surrounding the fixed spindle 2 and which contains a propelling spring 5 which is wound up onrthe spindle by manually rotating thebarrel. The spring is then looked in wound-up position v by suitable detent mechanism vwithin the casing 1. The projectile, as shown, comprises a helicopter device H provided With a suitable number of blades,:the central:por- "tion having openings, one 'iorreceiving one end of the spindle 2' which projects beyond the barrel l and the other for receiving a driving projection 6 mounted in'a closure member 7 rigidly securedin the. outer end of the barrel. The action of the pistol, when the spring is released, isto rapidly'turnithe projectile,thus forcing it ofirthe barrel .4 by air pressureonlthe blades;

The detent mechanism above mentioned comprises a ratchet wheel lOfixed to the-bar reli. The barrel tjpreferably comprisesa single strip of sheet -metal foa d into generally cylindrical form, one endofthe Ibarrel so formed being secured to the ratchet wheel 10. 'Tlhe other end ofithebarrel is 'S1.1.i;tably fastened as by solder'to axreduced pontion' 7 "on the closure -member,'-which reduced portion forms a shoulder as clearly shown in Fig. 2, definitely locating *theclosure member. Any suitable means; maybe employed :to secure the end of :the spring op.-, posite the ratchet --,wheel to :the spindle :2, as at 11.

A feature of the invention ;is the ;manner in which thebarrel l is securedto theratchet Wheel 10; The inner, end of the barrel :has an outwardly extendingfflange 4' which ;is

embraced and secured'betweenithe wheell'O andan annular-disc 12-; there being a suitable number of rivets 113 provided :to hold the wheel 10 and; disc 1'12 together-see Figs. 2;and 3. The-inner end-.ofrthe spring is :secured 'toone :ofthe rivets as at 13-7Fig. '3. This arrangement obviates the :necessity for soldering as heretofore done, both to secure the barrel and ratchet wheel and to :attach the end of the spring 5. The present jarrangement thereby permits the use of oil tempered spring stock-which does not solder Wellbut :is much :less wexpensivethan ,piano wire springstock, and further, the matter of-assembly gis greatly'facilitated.

The barrel tis prevented from being-removed from the casing 1' by reason ofqthe disc .12 and isvalso secured a-gainstendwise movement inwardly of the casing byxa suitable shoulder at 2 on-the spindle,the*whee1 being perforated to turneasily on the spindle-2 radj acentthe shoulder, as 1SllOWI1.

Thecspindle pivotallysupports artriggersl l:

on a suitablyflattened portion ofthe spindle,

there being a suitablepivotlpinthrough:this flattened portion at 15, and the triggerhas a lateral extension 21413 316 forming a pawl Tffor engaging the teeth;ofathe ratchet wheel'to *thereb y: maintain the spring 1 in tension when woundrup;'Axsuitablespring 17 is interposed-ibetween-ithe :trigger and spindle to maintain the pawl portion of the trigger in engagement with the ratchet teeth.

The casing 1 comprises a single strip of sheet metal suitably formed substantially cylindrically, the ends of the strip being separated from'each other a sufiicient distance to form a free guide for the trigger as at 21. According to previous practice, the guide for the trigger was subject to being collapsed on the trigger due to springing of the material comprising the side walls of the cylinders. I

' overcome this ditiiculty by providing the end threaded toreceive suitable nuts 8, previously referred to, one being a lock nut, by which means-the'spindle is heldin fixed relation ship to the casing and very rigidly. It is a new thought in'this construction to support the spindle entirely by the casing.

As an alternative construction of the spindle mounting,see Fig. 5this comprises a threaded boss formed in the end disc 25 at 25, thethreaded end of the spindle engaging the threads in the boss. In adopting this form, the manner of assembly of the pistol is somewhat different, it being necessary to first threadthe spindle into the end disc 25, together with its associated ratchet parts, including the barrel 4. Afterward the formed cylinder member 20 and the end disc 26 are secured in place as abovedescribed.

As shown in Fig. 4, the handle preferabl comprises two substantially complementary shells of sheet metal 30 which fit into each other at their marginal edges in telescoping relationship; see overlapping portions of both shells at 30. The shells may be blanked out on identical dies and one is simply formed slightly larger than the other at its edge so as to receive the smaller dimensions of the other shell. Each shell has an car 31, the two ears lying in a common plane and provided with suitable means, such as an opening at 32 for receiving attaching screws or rivets, screws bemg shown at 28 adapted to pass through the end-disc'25 and to be secured thereto by threads formed in the disc, or by separate nuts, if desired.

I claim v 1. A propelling device for a spinning projectile, comprising a fixed member and a rotatable member, one member surrounding the other, a torsion spring interposed between and operatively connected to said memguided-for rotation in one of said end discs and there being means securing the fixed member in rigid relationship to the other disc, each of said end discs being recessed near its periphery to closely embrace respective marginal edges or said strip and rigidly hold the strip interiorly and 'exteriorly in position about the detent mechanism, the extremities of the strip being held in spaced relationship by said discs, said detent mechanism including a trigger adapted to engage the toothed wheel and being mounted within said casing andprojecting between said ends ofthestrip. V

2. In a propelling device for a spinning projectile, two concentric relatively rotatable members, onebeing fixed, a torsion spring interposed between and operatively connected to said members, the rotatable member having means to engage such projectile for spinning the same when the spring is released, a casing in which said relatively rotatable members are mounted,detent mechanism within the casing and having a releasing trigger extending outwardly therefrom, said casing comprising a single strip of sheet metal forming the side wall for the casing and with its endsseparated to embrace andguide the trigger, end membersin which the first mentioned members are respectively mounted, said end members having oppositely facing grooves receiving respective marginal edges of said strip and embracing the same interiorly and exteriorlythereof, and means for holding said end members in rigid relationship to said strip.-

3. In a propelling device for a spinning projectile, a casing, a barrel rotatably mounted in the casing, the barrel adapted to engage thevproj ectile to spin it, a spindle mounted in the casing, a spring interposed between the barrel and spindle, and detent'mechanism including a toothed wheel in the casing for maintaining the spring in tension, the" barrel having a flange and there being a disc between which and the wheel the flange is embraced and secured, means to secure the disc and wheel together, one end of the spring being secured to said means.

4:. A propelling device for a spinning projectile comprising, a main substantially cylindrical casing including a side wall form.- I

ing member having substantially parallel edges separated peripherally of the cylinder to provide a'slot extending parallel to the axis of the cylinder,'the slot beingopen at one end of said member, a rotatable barrel carried by the casing and adapted to engage a projectile to spin the same, a spindle extending into the barrel, means to secure the spindle in fixed relation to the casing a torsion spring operatively connecting the spindle and barrel for rotating the barrel, detent mechanism Within the casing, including a toothed Wheel on the barrel and a trigger member pivoted on the spindle and adapted to extend through the slot, the trigger While on the spindle being associatable With the aforesaid parts by inserting the trigger through the'open end of said slot and an end closure member for the casing, said closure member fitting the cylinder side Wall forming member and closing said open end of the slot.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

4 AUGUST KRASTIN. 

